Local sports digest: Oakland's Damante Horton named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week

Bay Area News Group

Posted:
09/09/2013 08:32:22 PM PDT

Updated:
09/09/2013 10:43:38 PM PDT

Oakland High grad Damante Horton, whose 70-yard interception return for a touchdown helped Washington State post a 10-7 win at USC, was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week.

The senior cornerback was part of a defensive effort that limited Trojans All-America receiver Marqise Lee to seven catches for 27 yards, Horton finished with two interceptions and four tackles as the Cougars claimed their first road win over USC since 2000.

Horton also was named National Defensive Player of the Week by Athlon Sports and National Defensive Back of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards.

Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas and Arizona State's Jake Smith were named Pac-12 offensive and special teams players of the week. Thomas had a career-high 124 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Ducks' 59-10 win at Virginia, and Smith scored a career-high 16 points on three field goals and seven PATs and had touchbacks on five of 11 kickoffs in ASU's 58-13 win over UNLV.

The top-ranked Cal men's golf team opened its season by finishing fourth at the Gopher Invitational hosted by Minnesota at Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minn.

Brandon Hagy led the Bears with a second-place showing, firing 6-under 207 for three rounds. He finished one shot behind medalist Corey Connors of Kent State. The Golden Bears played without two returning first-team All-Americans in Michael Kim and Michael Weaver, who missed the event because of a scheduling conflict with the Walker Cup.

Advertisement

Cody Blick of Danville and San Jose State is tied for the lead after two rounds of the Itana Quality Homes Collegiate men's golf tournament in Pullman, Wash. Blick shot rounds of 67 and 68 for a 5-under 135 total at Palouse Ridge Golf Club, tying him with Blake Snyder of host Washington State. Santa Clara's Drew Miller (71-66-137) is sixth.

Santa Clara (569) is fifth in the team competition, 17 shots behind leader Washington State, and San Jose State (573) is seventh. The event concludes with 18 holes on Tuesday.

The Cal women held a one-shot lead over second-place New Mexico in the Ptarmigan Ram Classic in Fort Collins, Colo., before rain forced suspension of the second round. The Bears' Nicola Roessler was tied for second when play was halted, five strokes behind UNLV's Dana Finkelstein. San Jose State stands 12th in the 17-team field. The second round will be completed Tuesday, weather permitting, with the third round to follow.